Detachable wheel unit for transporting boats



May 5, 1953 w. w. SINGLETON 2,637,567 DETACHABLE WHEEL UNIT FOR TRANSPORTING BOATS Filed 001;. 29, 1949 INVENTOR w/LL/A w S/NGLETON ATTORNEY Patented May 5, 1953 DETACHABLE WHEEL UNIT FOR TRANSPORTING BOATS William W. Singleton, Pontiac, Mich., assignor to Trail-A-Boat Company, Pontiac, Mich.

Application October 29, 1949, Serial No. 124,300

Claims.

This invention relates to trailer gear and more particularly to gear for marine craft when transported as a trailer of a motor vehicle.

Various types of gear for conveying marine craft from floating positions on water to remote positions on land and vice versa have been devised. The majority of such gear has not proved satisfactory due principally to inadequate means for support of the craft on the gear.

The incident invention comprehends gear 0 extreme simplicity which may be easily and quickly attached to or removed from marine craft.

Another object of the invention is to provide a gear for marine craft having but few component parts which may be produced at low cost and assembled with a minimum expenditure of effort.

Another object of the invention is to provide a gear for marine craft comprising individual corresponding units adapted to be attached to the sides of marine craft so that the craft maybe easily beached and/or conveyed to a remote land position.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description when taken in connection with the drawings forming a part of this specification and in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the marine craft illustrating one of the units as installed;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view in side elevation of one unit.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view taken from the back of one of the units with the fender removed,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on line 4-4, Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing for more specific details of the invention, It represents a boat supported on a gear indicated generally at I2. As shown, the gear includes a frame consisting of a head I4 having a flat bearing surface l6 slotted as at l8, and secured to the bearing surface I 6 is a cushion 28 of rubber or other suitable material such as felt, having a slot 22 registering with the slot I8. The head has a portion 24 normal to the bearing surface It and a dependent yieldable shield 26 having a slot 28 registering with the slot I8 in the bearing surface I6 and the slot 22 in the cushion 2i), and a thumb screw 30 extended through the slots I8, 22 and 28 has thereon a washer 32 between the back of the bearing surface and the shield 26 and a pin 33 extended diametrally through the screw, serving to inhibit displacement of the thumb screw.

Corresponding rods or tubular members 34 and 36 and secured to the head I4 on the back of the bearing surface I6 in butting relation to the portion 24, and diverge downwardly from the head. Similarly corresponding rods or tubular members 38 and 40 secured to the head I4 in butting relation to the portion 24 of the head and overlaying the members 34 and 36 diverge outwardly and downwardly and are deformed to provide portions 42 and 44 parallel to the members 34 and 36.

, Corresponding U-shaped tubular members 48 and 48 have their arms 50, 52, 54 and 5B fixedly secured respectively to the tubular members 34, 3B, 33 and 40. The arms of the members 46 and 48 are inclined downwardly and the adjacent arm are secured together as by brackets 58 and 60. A cross member or tie rod 62 connects the arms so and 54 at the junctures of the arms with the members 38 and 40, and correspondingly a tie rod or angle iron 64 connects the arms 52 and 56 at the junctures of the arms 34 and 36, and the tie rod or angle iron 64 has an upwardly extended flange 66 provided with a centrally disposed tongue 68, the purpose of which will hereinafter appear.

The cross members 62 and 64 serve as tie rods or trusses for the members 34, 3B, 38 and 40 and also for the arms of the U-shaped members 46 and 48. The members and the arms constitute in effect a frame characterized in that it is substantially a parallelogram in general contour, adapted to take compression loads and the cross member tie rods receive tension when load is imposed on the frame.

Links Ill and I2 pivoted to the brackets 53 and 60, suport an axle I4 having mounted thereon a wheel '15, and compression springs l8 and are fastened between the links H! and I2 and the frame, and secured to the U-shaped members 46 and 48 above the wheel is a fender 82.

In practice, a member 84 secured to the boat, preferably on the chine, has a downwardly extended flange 86 and a centrally disposed slot 88. The gear is lowered to engage the tongue 68 on the flange 66 of the cross member 64 with the flange 8B and when so engaged, the gear is moved horizontally until the tongue 68 is received by the slot 88. This serves to center the gear and to guide the flange 66 of the gear into engagement with the flange 86. The gear is then slightly elevated so as to interlock the flanges 66 and 86. The thumb screw 30 is then manipulated so as to engage a threaded aperture in the side rail of the boat, and when the thumb screw is firmly set to secure the gear to the boat, the shield 28 serves to retain the thumb screw against displacement.

Having thus described the inventi'om what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: w

1. A trailer gear comprising corresponding frame structures each including a head, ,means for securing the head to a side of the trailer, arm's diverging downwardly from, the :he ad,--.icorr,e

4. A trailer gear for a boat comprising matched structures, each including a head, means for attaching the head to a side of the boat, a pair of arms depended and diverging from the head, a second pair of arms depended and diverging from the head at an angle to the first pair of arms andib'ent downwardly parallelto'the first pair of arms, a pair orb-shaped members having corresponding inclined arms, the arms of the U-shaped members being connected to the dependedarms,transverse tie rods connecting the corresponding depended arms and the corresponding arms of the U-shaped members, a fasteningh-m'ember on one of the tie rods for cooperasponding U-shaped members arranged ins-open; 15 sitely disposed relation eachhaving inclined par;

allel arms, each of said lastnamedarms secured to a corresponding one of the diverging arms, brackets connecting the adjacent arms of the us e e member tie re s: o n t n 9 7 spbn'dingfjarms lgi, said. re -shaped members for trussing the irame, a 'fastening'member on one of the eQrods,,ior cooperation with ,a fastening me be t ie Si e Oti h t a e a wh mou ed gr, when. the Machete and a r n er supported on the 'U-s'haped members above the 2. A ra rie ahWm hi am tc irame uetur e hjind din a d. ansi r ch ifi lh d to a 5 wh he ra hm mbers d er gingidownwardly"from the head, cores onding ma malrran d n oppositelyidisii' fe ipp toj'e ie a ot ere a n pa l: ei, f nwithg e h. s c d to o he iv re h hie r br ke s. cenne ti s. the .1 a-ce itl r thero es d s members. transversetie r ach connecting two of the irt e nsfm 'mb tsjfiptw Q th arms, a as en: ember on QlljeIO f the tie rods for co'opera tion with a;iasteningime nber on the sidepf the 'traileigfa wheel supported onfthe brackets, and 1a fender-supported on the corresponding members above the wheel. ,t

, A tra er, ge ,c m r s n matched s ure a h. inc u g head m a s. f r "a ta hhs'. i l a to, hi wea t e tra e memb rs am: to and. 91 s s do n d m the head," corresponding; u;sha ed members each avin paral el a s r ..@l1ne d wnw rd ha ers toh s tieafihe 'adiac tq m 9 th d re 'neh he.members, hath; a f t e corresponding members connected to one of the'downwardly diverging members, tie rods connecting two of the diverging members and two oi the arms of thecorresponding members, a fasten ing member onjone of the tie rods for cooperation with a fasteninginember on the side of the trailer, a wheelisupportedjon the brackets, and aiender supported on the U-shaped members above the wheel.

'tion with a fastening member on the side of the boat, brackets connecting the adjacent arms of the U-shaped members, a wheel supported on the-:brackets, and a fender supported on the U-shaped members above the Wheel.

1 5, -A trailer gearmfor a boat comprisingmatched units eachincluding a head adapteditohbe secured to a side of the boat, a pair of armsse; -cur-ed ,t0 the .head and, diverging downwardly therefrom, a second pair of armssecured .to the head and diverging, therefrom at an angle with relation tothe first-pair of .arms and bentto provide end portions parallel-to the first pair-0'1 arms, a pair of corresponding.U-shapedmeme bers havingtheirbights in spaced. relation, with the parallel arms :of each U-shaped member ex tended downwardlyand inwardly toward thezcore responding parallel arm of the other U-shaped member and with each arm of the U-shaped member connected to a corresponding arm of the first and second pair of arms, tie rods connecting thecorresponding dependent arms and the corresponding arms of the U-shaped members, bracketsconnected to the, ends-of respective arms of the U shaped members, a fastening member .on one of the tie rods for cooperation with a fastening memberon the side of the boat, a wheel supported onthe brackets and a fender support: ed on the bights of the U-shaped members above the wheel. l

WILLIAM W. SINGLETON. 

